01 Mar The Tea Dragon Series by Kay O’Neill

Posted at 12:00h in Kids, Readers' Advisory by Maureen

The Tea Dragon Society

Author and illustrator Kay O’Neill transports readers into a cozy fantasy world in their middle-grade graphic novel trilogy: The Tea Dragon Series. The series begins with the first installment, The Tea Dragon Society, which follows Greta, a young girl of goblin ancestry whose family continues the declining art of blacksmithing in their village. However, her life changes when she finds a small dragon that belongs to local tea shop owners, Hesekiel and his partner Erik. Greta and a shy apprentice, Minette, commits herself to learning the patience to care for tea dragons. Building relationships with her new friends and the tea dragons helps Greta find purpose to save the traditions of art and craftmanship.

The Tea Dragon Festival

The second book in this series, The Tea Dragon Festival, acts as a prequel to The Tea Dragon Society as it takes place many years in the past. This story follows a forager and aspiring cook named Rinn. One day, she discovers a slumbering dragon named Aedhan who has been asleep for nearly eighty years. Upon his awakening, he tackles feelings of guilt and inadequacy after failing his duty to protect the village. However, his duties are fulfilled as Hesekiel and Erik find what caused Aedhan to sleep for all that time. Now that the threat is no longer present, Aedhan finds peace and comfort in his new home.

The Tea Dragon Tapestry

In the final installment of this series, The Tea Dragon Tapestry, which returns to our characters Greta and Minette a year following The Tea Dragon Society. Greta has been honing her craft of blacksmithing to prepare for an apprenticeship opportunity of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Minette uncovers her past and finally accepts her new life. Rinn and Aedhan also make an appearance as they visit the village to sell goods from their faraway village. This final story beautifully ties together the various characters in the series while providing real-life insights into being true to one’s self.

Perfect for middle-grade readers who are interested in an inclusive cast of characters, this series features gentle yet thought-provoking commentary, and visually stunning illustrations.